Method for dynamic characterization of density fields in a compound structure

Abstract

A method supplies a dynamic vector map of properties within a region or a unified suite of quantification functionality for property functions, such as density functions, conduction functions (e.g., thermal conduction, electrical conduction, atomic or subatomic mass conduction, macromolecular mass conduction), defined on, defined in or defining a three-dimensional space, which functions may optionally vary in time. At least two services assisting in the definition of the map or suite, even in a dynamic modality, are selected from: (a) computation of the volume of the region where the density lies above or below a specified threshold, or between two specified values; (b) computation of the integral of the density; (c) estimation of the rate of change of the density with respect to time, optionally restricted to a specified region; (d) estimation of the local or global failure of conservation represented by changes with time in the density; (e) estimation of the local or global rate at which material with a changing density is passing through a specified surface (e.g., boundary); and (f) separation of the density of a material with a changing density, given an implemented transport model, into “free” and “bound” densities.

Description

[0001]This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 745,039 filed on Dec. 20, 2000 now abandoned, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to the field of characterizing the properties of a field, particularly to the characterization of properties within a field relating to mass transfer or material movement. The characterization of field properties is related to fields such as localized absorption / adsorption of materials to surfaces or volumes, especially in the delivery of bioactive materials to in vivo tissue during therapeutic treatments.[0004]2. Background of the Art[0005]It is a routine procedure in image processing to “segment” a two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) image. This can be performed, for example, on 1) a photograph of a slice of biological material, or 2) a scan by computer-aided tomography (CAT), magnetic reso...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Often a superstrate has a desired therapeutic effect, or an undesired effect, only when its density lies between certain limits.

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